Myanmar’s state-run internet service provider, MPT, has temporarily blocked access to Facebook.

This comes after the arrest of Myanmar’s long time democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint on February 1 as part of a coup by the country’s military forces.

The Ministry of Communications and Information claimed that the decision to block access to Facebook was for the sake of “stability”, and full access will be restored on February 7.

The Ministry also claimed that the move was made in response to the spread of “fake news” among Facebook users in Myanmar.

Facebook’s statement on Myanmar addressed the severity of the situation.

“We urge authorities to restore connectivity so that people in Myanmar can communicate with their families and friends and access important information,” the statement read.

With over 20 million users, Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms in Myanmar.

Mainstream social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, have also been banned.